Jars are used to hold mussels that are undergoing toxicity testing at NCSU. - FWS photo

During the summer of 2006, Genoa National Fish Hatchery (NFH) partnered with the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology at North Carolina State University (NCSU) by providing freshwater mussels to complete a project for the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

While the findings of this EPA study are not yet published, the results did leave researchers questioning how long mussels can “clam up” to avoid exposure to chemicals and pollutants.  As a self preservation mechanism, freshwater mussels will completely close their shells when exposed to harmful concentration of chemicals and pollutants. 

In essence, mussels will “hold their breath” as long as they can or until the chemical exposure has pasted.  Greg Cope from NCSU contacted Genoa NFH staff requesting 90 additional yearling mussels to conduct experiments in order to answer these avoidance questions. 

Braving the first extreme cold snap of the year, hatchery divers suited up and jumped into the Mississippi River at Dubuque, IA to collect 90 fatmucket mussels that the hatchery was culturing in floating cages at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium’s Ice Harbor. 

The mussels were returned to Genoa NFH and inspected for zebra mussels.  Any zebra mussels were removed and destroyed, before the fatmuckets were shipped to NCSU.  At the last report, the mussels were received by NCSU staff healthy and happy (as a clam). 

Talks are currently underway between Genoa NFH and NCSU to again provide the university with more mussels in 2007 to further expand their EPA work.